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Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) in Linguistics

New Zealand

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What will I learn?

The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) requires two semesters of full-time study. It entails a structured programme of postgraduate coursework and, in some instances, a piece of supervised research that counts for one or two of the required papers. The normal admission requirement is a completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the major of the proposed programme.

Graduates are employed in administration, business, education, government, industry and journalism where their advanced knowledge of an academic area, ability to solve problems, research and writing skills are valued. It is also a recognised qualification for admission as a candidate for the Master of Arts (MA) and, if a dissertation is included, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Why study Linguistics?

Linguistics does not prescribe grammatical correctness. Instead it describes how people actually communicate and how this changes from one context, situation, culture, geographical domain or even one moment to another.

When you study Linguistics, you will find the answers to a range of questions - How many languages are there in the world? Why and how do languages change, become endangered or die out? Why do some sentences have more than one meaning? How do new words get into a language? Why do different people speak differently, why do they sound different and why do they use different forms of language? How do children acquire language and why do they start to speak? What does it really mean to be bilingual or bi-cultural?

Career opportunities

There are many career options for Linguistics graduates.

The TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), minor equips you to teach English abroad and at home in language schools and other non-state institutions.

Previous graduates are now lawyers, editors, copy-writers, technical writers, journalists, award-winning film directors and producers, translators, interpreters, sign language interpreters, language policy makers, diplomats.

You will find Linguistic graduates as first language teachers, second language teachers, primary school teachers, high school teachers, speech therapists, university lecturers, polytechnic lecturers.

Linguistics graduates have gone on to be newspaper reporters, editors, television producers, television reporters, software designers, actors, comedians, education policy makers, machine voice synthesisers, entrepreneurs, publishers, creative writers, science writers, marketers.

Which department am I in?

Division of Humanities

Study options

Full Time (1 year)

Tuition fees
NZ$37,746.00 (US$ 22,631) per year

*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution

Application deadline

Expected May 2025

More details

Start date

24 February 2025

Venue

Dunedin Campus

University of Otago Clocktower Building,

362 Leith Street,

DUNEDIN,

North Dunedin,

9016, New Zealand

Entry requirements

For international students

Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).

Every applicant shall

  • either have been admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts majoring in the subject or subjects of study proposed;
  • or have been admitted with the status of one who is entitled to proceed to the diploma;
  • or have a qualification acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and produce evidence satisfactory to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of ability to proceed to the diploma.
    • English language requirements

      • IELTS (Academic module) (including IELTS Online) - Overall score of 6.5, no individual band below 6.0.
      • TOEFL iBT - Overall score of 90 and a writing score of 21.
      • C1 Advanced (previously Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)) & (previously Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE)) - Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169).
      • Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 58 with no communicative skills score below 50.
      • Language Cert - International ESOL: C1 Expert (LRWS) with a high pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill OR C2 Mastery (LRWS) with a pass overall and no less than a pass in each skill.
      • NZCEL - NZCEL 5 Academic endorsement
      • English New Zealand's Accredited Pathway Assessment - Assessment Level 3 (with no skill lower than Level 2).
      • APIEL Advanced Placement International English Language Examination - Grade 4 or higher.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

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About University of Otago

The University of Otago is ranked in the top 1 per cent of universities in the world and is often regarded as the best in New Zealand.

  • Top 5 most beautiful campuses globally
  • New Zealand’s No.1 university for educational performance
  • 95 percent of Otago graduates go into work or further study
  • Opportunity to apply for a three-year post-study work visa

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